On Saturday, May 11, at approximately 12:58 p.m., officers from the Indiana State Police, the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, and the LaFontaine Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash on State Road 15 at Wabash County Road 1050 South, which injured two people.

The preliminary crash investigation by Master Trooper Jan Maller revealed that Tyrus E. Faust, 62, LaFontaine, was driving a 1999 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck westbound on Wabash County Road 1050 South. Faust allegedly failed to stop for a stop sign at the intersection of State Road 15, and pulled into the path of a southbound 2000 Dodge Durango. The Durango, driven by Dustin Hurst, 32, LaFontaine, struck the pickup truck in the passenger’s side. The crash impact caused Faust, who was not wearing a seatbelt, to be partially ejected through the passenger’s side window.

Faust was flown by Samaritan Helicopter to Fort Wayne’s Parkview Hospital with a life threatening head injury. Rachel Hurst, 37, LaFontaine, a passenger in the Durango, was transported by ambulance to Marion General Hospital. She sustained lacerations and cuts. All occupants of the Durango were wearing seatbelts.

This is an ongoing investigation, but at this time neither the use of alcohol nor narcotics is suspected as having contributed to this crash.

The LaFontaine Fire Department and Wabash County EMS also assisted Master Trooper Maller at the crash scene.